US ambassador to Russia visits detained reporter Evan Gershkovich
Detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershovich received his first visit from a US official ā the ambassador to Russia ā on Monday as he awaits trial on espionage charges that the US government and international human rights organisations have denounced as fabricated.
Ambassador Lynne Tracy wrote in a statement released throught the US Embassy that Mr Gershovich āremains strongā and reiterated that the US believes the charges against him to be politcally motivated.
āI visited @WSJās Evan #Gershkovich today at Lefortovo Prison - the first time we've been permitted access to him since his wrongful detention more than two weeks ago. He is in good health and remains strong. We reiterate our call for his immediate release. #FreeEvan,ā wrote Ms Tracy.
Itās the first direct confirmation of the imprisoned journalistās status from a US official since Mr Gershovich was first arrested nearly three weeks ago. US journalists and other advocates for the right to a free press have rallied in support of his release across social media.
#ŠŠ¾ŃŠ¾Š»Š¢ŃŠµŠ¹ŃŠø: Š”ŠµŠ³Š¾Š“Š½Ń Ń ŠæŠ¾ŃŠµŃŠøŠ»Š° ŃŠµŠæŠ¾ŃŃŠµŃŠ° @WSJ @EvanGershkovich Š² Š”ŠŠŠ ŠŠµŃŠ¾ŃŃŠ¾Š²Š¾. ŠŃ Š²ŠæŠµŃŠ²ŃŠµ ŠæŠ¾Š»ŃŃŠøŠ»Šø Š“Š¾ŃŃŃŠæ Šŗ ŠŠ²Š°Š½Ń Ń Š¼Š¾Š¼ŠµŠ½ŃŠ° ŠµŠ³Š¾ Š½ŠµŠæŃŠ°Š²Š¾Š¼ŠµŃŠ½Š¾Š³Š¾ Š·Š°Š“ŠµŃŠ¶Š°Š½ŠøŃ Š±Š¾Š»ŠµŠµ 2-Ń Š½ŠµŠ“ŠµŠ»Ń Š½Š°Š·Š°Š“. ŠŠ½ ŃŃŠ²ŃŃŠ²ŃŠµŃ ŃŠµŠ±Ń Ń Š¾ŃŠ¾ŃŠ¾, Š“ŠµŃŠ¶ŠøŃŃŃ ŃŃŠ¾Š¹ŠŗŠ¾. ŠŠ½Š¾Š²Ń ŠæŃŠøŠ·ŃŠ²Š°ŠµŠ¼ Š½ŠµŠ¼ŠµŠ“Š»ŠµŠ½Š½Š¾ Š¾ŃŠ²Š¾Š±Š¾Š“ŠøŃŃ ŠŠ²Š°Š½Š°. #FreeEvan
— ŠŠ¾ŃŠ¾Š»ŃŃŃŠ²Š¾ Š”ŠØŠ Š² Š Š¤/ U.S. Embassy Russia (@USEmbRu) April 17, 2023
The US State Department last week released a statement accusing the Russian goverment of falsely imprisoning Mr Gershovich, arguing that claims he was committing espionage on behalf of the US were false. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed āgrave concernā about the arrest on a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier in April.
A longtime resident of Moscow, Mr Gershovich has worked at a number of news organisations as a Russia correspondent before joining the Journal. His imprisonment comes amid months of heightened US-Russia tensions directly resulting from the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces and Washingtonās efforts to lead a global campaign of support for Ukraineās military in response.
He released a statement through his newspaper on 5 April in which he appeared to be in good spirits.
āI want to say that I am not losing hope,ā he wrote at the time.
In the same letter, he added: āMom, you unfortunately, for better or worse, prepared me well for jail food...For breakfast they give us hot creamed wheat, oatmeal cereal or wheat gruel. I am remembering my childhood.ā